crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=587 http://www.skithe14ers.com/ Edited January 20, 2007 by crazy_t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 Weather looks doable today.. http://www.zeitcam.com/showcam.php?cam=longspeak¤timage=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Impressive, but he still did not meet his goal, correct? He was attempting to ski all 54 in a single season. How many did he actually get before the end of the 2006 ski season? Did he only change his plans once the end of the 2006 season was over? part of the website talks about skiing all 54 in 2006 ski season, then it switches over to talking about all 54 in 2006 and then finally all in one year. If he doesn't get Long's will he switch it to all in a 13 month period? Or all in 12 months and 5 days? My opinion is set a goal and go after it. If you don't make it, then try again, but don't keep dumbing down your original goal. Yes, it is extremely impressive and I doubt anyone will break it for a while, but at least save some face and admit defeat, but still carry out your plans to finish your goal no matter how long it takes you...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skykilo Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 He's doing the best he can. That's all any of us can do. It is interesting and different when people publicize their goals before the fact, perhaps for marketing money, but I'd be a hypocrite to pretend that my goals don't get adjusted by the minute and hour every day. I also envied his springtime trailhead-cruising mobile-home digs. Wait, what am I saying? Let's mock to spancered skier boi from Colorado. You FAILED, ha Ha HA! He definitely skied some very cool lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) Flexibility is kind of required with mountains, especially something like skiing 54 of them from the summit (true descents). Getting good conditions is far from a given. So, of course, you could set an impressive goal and then "be flexible" with it until it was so watered down as to be meaningless. But, knowing those mountains, and the scope of the project, 1 think his revised goal of getting them in 1 year is still an epic feat (I would think that he wouldn't extend it past a year total). Beats the time of the only other person successful with skiing them all (Lou Dawson) by 12 years or something. Not bad. I hear you about setting a goal, but knowing the peaks, the scope of the effort and the weather/snow swings in recent years... And check out the accounts of skiing Capitol! Also Pyramid, Crestone Needle, etc. And many of the others were done by new and/or proud lines. He put a lot into it, regardless of the initial plan (all in one season) he has really kicked ass. Last spring/May in CO (during the "season"), they got a wave of 10+ 100 degree days in Colorado, essentially decimating the spring skiing snowpack. Rather than waiting for the "perfect weather season" (which is so random with weather patterns the last few years) I think he did his best with what he had. This isn't a cheesy 1st or lame variation "i.e. "oldest left-handed blond haired Lichtensteiner to climb the 7 summits", but a pretty cool thing, especially if you are a skier and live in those mountains. Edited January 18, 2007 by crazy_t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skykilo Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Jason Ivanic skied those mountains in much less time, albeit with less stringent tick criteria. And he was a grad student taking leave from school and maxing his credit cards. That theme kinda strikes a chord with me. http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_3773825 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 He rocked it too! That was sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) And Lou's original effort was pretty awesome too. Here's a good history: http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060606/RECREATION08/60606006 Edited January 18, 2007 by crazy_t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Definitely not trying to take anything away from him as it is definitely a huge accomplishment, it just changes the game a little when you decide to bring in sponsors and attempt to make money from it by producing a coffee table book and feature length movie about it. If your goal is your own personal goal, then it really doesn't matter when you finish as you have accomplished your goal. But the watering down of the original goal when sponsors are involved and your goal isr now their goal, then the general public will only see ithas a failed attempt at skiing all 54 peaks in a single season rather than 54 ski descents accomplished in 12+ months. No doubt that what he (will) accomplish will be record breaking and done in proud form..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 from the article: Davenport .... doesn't mind if others question his project and his motives. "It doesn't take away how hard I work, or all the mornings I had to wake up at 2:30 a.m.," he said. "The skiing and mountaineering community will be the true judge. That's all that matters. "My career is made, I'm not out to make any more money or please anybody. This is simply another personal challenge in the life of Chris Davenport." Maybe he has "watered down" things as a response to "sponsor pressure". I personally doubt it, and would hesitate to judge him myself not knowing him personally. That's all that irks me from your original response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 "My career is made, I'm not out to make any more money or please anybody. This is simply another personal challenge in the life of Chris Davenport." Then why the professional documentary film crew from Cali, the professional photogs, the planned coffee table book and the press releases for coverage? Not about making money? Whatever. Maybe some of it is to stroke his ego or please his sponsors, but come on. It may be his personal goal to do it, but to say he is not doing it for money as well, I call bs. If it wasn't about money and just about his personal goal, we would likely not have heard about it yet. There definitely wouldn't be film crews and a blog and website tracking each ski descent. Is it hardcore? Yes. Is it an amazing accomplishment? Yes. Will it ever be repeated? Who knows. I am not chastizing the guy trying to earn a buck and if he can, more paower to him. Just be honest about your endeavors regardless of whether they are for monetary reasons or not. here's how I bet his thought process went: Man, I really want to ski all 54 14'ers in a season, but to do so, I won't be able to work much, so will need a little income on the side to keep me going. So, he started talking to his sponsors. They agreed but then through in other ideas like the documentary film, photographs, and coffee table book. he saw he could make money while living out his dream and voila, there yout go. A money-maker while setting out to accomplish a life-long dream. I have no problem with this at all. Just be honest that this is going to make him money. He is trying to pretend to be a dirt-bag without explaining all of the other deals on the side. I just think he is saing one thing and doing another. More props to him if he can do this, just admit to what you are doing. Most people would not think this was a bad thing. Maybe others in the ski community do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 (edited) I think he's smart to be able to mix some business with pleasure. I don't think he has too much to prove, is pretty realistic about the fact that the mountains hold the cards, not him. Someone high profile like him likely needs major documentation to support his claim once he finishes, because he is an easy target. Sure, he could do it all in silence, that would be an option too, but the book and film sound like a cool project, and since he is documenting his descents, and has the ability to do it well, why not? The footage and book should be great, and there will be great beta for skiers looking to do the same thing. A lot of his friends are in the industry, and photography etc. are a part of that. He's sponsored, etc. but I don't feel like his motivations here are about sponsorship, and $. He has built his own career, and now he has these kinds of options open to him, why begrudge that? Seems like a cool guy, a father, and someone living a dream in the mountains he knows best. I don't see where he is trying to pawn himself off as a dirtbag, or really trying to mislead anyone. He's forthcoming about all of it, as far as I can see. But ultimately, I don't know him, don't know what's going on in his head or heart, so these are just words built on the facts or presented facts available. You are in the same boat. I was just pumped to cheer on someone who is doing something epic I wish I was doing! As a skier and climber who lived in CO for a # of years, who has climbed and skied many of those peaks, I just think he must be having a blast. And I'm in awe of that Capitol ski. Having the sled, etc. support must be nice too! Alright, enough from my end. Feel like this has gotten beaten down a bit, and I'm part of the problem! Need to get out skiing myself, I guess. Cheers! Edited January 18, 2007 by crazy_t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy_t Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 Cheers on a successful Long's ski! http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=587 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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